Non-dairy products, like liquid whipping creams, spreads and products with a spoonable non-liquid consistency are products wherein at least part of the dairy fat is replaced by vegetable fat. Such products are generally known as dairy cream alternatives. In general, vegetable fats are regarded as being healthier than dairy fat like milk fat and butter fat as the unsaturated fatty acid content in vegetable fats are higher than in dairy fat. Furthermore, especially natural vegetable fats that have not undergone hydrogenation have a lower trans unsaturated fatty acid content than dairy fats.
Crème fraiche is a well known dairy product that is obtained by fermenting a regular cream by certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, which is introduced either deliberately or naturally, sours and thickens the cream.
Traditional crème fraiche contains about 28 weight percent (wt %) of butter fat (based on total product) with a pH of about 4.5. Compared with traditional sour cream containing about 18 to 20 wt % butter fat, crème fraiche has a different viscosity and a higher fat content. To address health concerns, light or reduced-fat crème fraiche have been developed that contain about 40% less butter fat than regular crème fraiche. Although such products contain less fat, the saturated fatty acid (SAFA) content of the used fat is still that of dairy fat.
Dairy cream alternatives have been developed as an alternative for crème fraiche based on dairy cream. For example, soured spoonable cream alternatives are described in EP 540085 and EP540087 based on fat mixtures of liquid oil and hardened lauric fats.
Consumers nowadays prefer lower fat products, like for example 25 wt % or less. Such products, including dairy cream alternatives, are not always easy to make as the lower overall fat content may detrimentally affect product properties, like for example firmness and organoleptic properties.
In addition, there is a drive to not only lower the total amount of fat, but also the SAFA level of the fat itself as excessive consumption of SAFA has been associated with cardiovascular diseases.
The drive for lower fat and lower SAFA level of the fat itself is challenging as this may affect for example the organoleptic properties of products like crème fraiche and non-dairy cream alternatives thereof. Notably it affects the Indulgency characteristics' like for example the rich mouthfeel, for which these products are known and appreciated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide lower fat dairy cream alternatives of crème fraiche like products. It is another object of the present invention to provide lower fat dairy cream alternatives of crème fraiche like products that are low in SAFA. A further object of the present invention is to provide lower fat dairy cream alternatives of crème fraiche like products that provide good organoleptic properties and/or have good product firmness.